This invention relates to apparatus for scrubbing the hull of a boat, and more particularly to such apparatus which scrubs the hull of a boat clean of marine growth, scum, oil and the like, without removing the boat from the water.
The need for a boat bottom cleaning apparatus is well known in the art. This need is due to the fact that a boats performance, is related to the ability of the boat hull to slide through the water. If the boat hull is dirty or should various under water marine growth be attached to the hull, the performance of the boat will be substantially diminished. In the past, various types of anti-fouling and toxic bottom paints have been used on boat hulls. However, such paints have been found ineffective in preventing multiplicity of types of marine growth which are known to grow on ships hulls. When hulls having these paints on are cleaned in the water, toxic chemicals such as mercury are removed from the surface of the paint and these are allowed to be deposited in the water surrounding the hull of the boat.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel floating dock assembly that will allow boats to have their bottom hulls cleaned of marine growth without the necessity of removing the boats from the water.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel floating dock assembly that will collect the toxic debris which is removed from the hulls of the boats, thereby, not contaminating the surrounding water.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel floating dock assembly whose height can be raised or lowered with respect to the surrounding water.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel floating dock assembly having electronic equipment that is computerized so that the boat hull may be detected upon its entrance into the floating dock assembly and at various stages along its path of travel, the operations of brushing its water line area and producing a picture of the contour of the boat hull can be obtained for programming the hydro-cleaning robots mounted within the floating dock assembly.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel entrance curtain and an exit curtain through which the boats may pass while effectively maintaining a wall to prevent the entrance of marine life.